Field of Invention
The invention relates to a composite fiber component for a rotor blade of a wind power plant. The invention relates, furthermore, to a rotor blade for a wind power plant.
Brief Description of Related Art
Rotor blades for wind power plants are known, which are composed of a plurality of individual parts manufactured in the composite fiber type of construction and glued together to form a rotor blade. The individual parts sometimes have considerable dimensions and are usually sheet-like, that is to say that the thickness is substantially smaller than the length and width.
Typical rotor blades are composed of at least two rotor blade shells which stipulate the external shape and therefore the essential aerodynamic properties of the rotor blade. For example, a rotor blade shell is provided for the suction side of the rotor blade, what is known as the top shell, and a rotor blade shell is provided for the pressure side of the rotor blade, what is known as the bottom shell.
The rotor blade shells are conventionally reinforced in the region of the largest profile thickness of the rotor blade by means of what are known as girders and are connected to one another in the region of the girders by means of main webs. The girders and the main webs in this case form the essential load-bearing structure of the rotor blade, whereas the rotor blade shells are otherwise made relatively lightweight and thin as sandwich laminates. In this case, for example, layers of fiber-reinforced composite materials are laminated on both sides onto a lightweight sandwich core composed, for example, of balsa wood.
Known rotor blades often have, particularly in the region of transition to the blade root, portions in which the aerodynamic profile has a profile end face which is also designated as a truncated trailing edge. In these portions, therefore, the profile does not have a trailing edge tapering to a point, but instead terminates in a closing-off face which is arranged transversely to the profile chord and which, particularly so as to form sharp edges, merges into the rotor blade shells on the suction side and the pressure side of the profile. The transitional edges run essentially in the longitudinal direction of the rotor blade and are exposed to considerable loads during operation.
If the edges are formed as a continuous sandwich laminate bent at the edge, there is only low component resistance to flexural or bending loads. Moreover, under relatively high loads, there is the threat in the sandwich laminate of delaminations which may lead to sudden component failure.
In the prior art, therefore, as a rule, the rotor blade shells for the suction and the pressure side and also the closing-off face are manufactured as separate components in the sandwich laminate type of construction. The individual components are subsequently glued to one another to form the transitional edges, and the adhesive joints or the transitional edges are overlaminated again in order to increase stability. This manufacturing method is characterized by a long cycle time because the individual method steps cannot be carried out in parallel. Moreover, complicated fixtures are required for the insertion and orientation of the closing-off face between the rotor blade shells.